Rotary gas-engine.



No. 666,617. Patened Feb. 26, |961.

` GAS ENGINE. (No Mode.) *(Apphcatmn -Jed Simile 1899.) 3 She'e/S-SheetvI. j l 6 R j -a e 0/ A Q/V/ L// a Q Z 0 i e9 f w 7 0 .7 y@ L f l kd Q722/ NZ Z/ic a? i? N i @6 @Zz l d v 1/ 6 I. 7V' a* J'. 6

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ROTARY GAS ENGINE.

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l .No. 668,6I7. Patented Feb..26, I90I.

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' man TATES PATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM H. ALDRIOH, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

ROTARY GAS-ENGINF..l

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersI Patent No. 668,617, datedFebruary 26, 190,1.

v Application led September 18, 1899. Serial No. 730,888. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. ALDRICH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Engines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to engines; and it is especially adapted for usewith gas-engines, though many of the features of construction embodiedin my invention may be used in connection with engines generally.

My invention consists in the combinations and constructions of partshereinafter described, and set forth in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure l is a sectional elevation of an engine embodying myinvention, this View being illustrative in the respect that it assumesone of the cylinders to have been turned to a different position inorder to bring them into line, and thus better s how the operativeparts, an assumption which it is.V thought Will be apparent from theother views and the more detailed description of the parts. Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional view, some of the parts being broken away and shownon a different plane for perspicuity. Fig. 2a is a detail view of a partof the valve mechanism. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing thearrangement of the pitman connections with the crankpin. Figs. 4. and 5are detailed views of the same. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are detailed views ofthe valve-operating cams. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating thetravel of the end of the valve-rod. Fig. l0 is a detailed view inperspective of the igniter.

Like parts are represented by similar letters of reference in therespective views.

In constructing myimproved engine'I employ a frame a ct, consisting,preferably, of a base a and standards a2, said standards being providedwith bearings d3. Within these bearings as are located hollow trunnionsor sleeves b, which are formed integrally with or connected with disksb. These disks are bolted to and are adapted to close the respectiveends of a ring or casing c, from which the cylinders c', c2, and cSextend. These cylinders, of which there are three, are preferably spacedequally around the periphery or ring of the casing c. They are closed atthe outer ends and open at their inner ends into the chamber c4, formedby the casing c and the disks b. Within this chamber c4 the crankdislocated. The crank d is of the return type, and the ends of thecrank-shaft d2 are journaled in the disks b', one end of the crank-shaftbeing extended entirely through the sleeve and squared on the end, asshown at d3, and held in a stationary position by means of an arm d4,which is fitted onto the end of the shaft and bolted or otherwisefastened securely to the framestandard a2, as shown at the left in Fig.1.

By this construction it will be seen that the crank-shaft d2, the crank,and the crank-pin d' are held stationary, while the casing c, thecylinders, and the inclosing disks are permitted to rotate. -The sleevesor trunnions b furnish the bearing-supports on which the said casing andcylinders revolve. At the outer end of each of the cylinders is avalvechest e, in which are located the inlet-valves e and theexhaust-valves e2. Each of these valve-chests communicates directly withthe outer end of the cylinder which opens into the same. Below the valvee is a chamber e3, into Which leadsa pipe e4, which communicates at itsouter end with the chamber e5, formed within the sleeve or trunnion b.The gas-supply pipe e6 opens into the end of this chamber e5 and isarranged so that a considerable mixture of air and gas is securedtherein. It will be understood that the pipe e4 is adapted to convey theexplosive mixture from the central supply-chamber e5 to the chamber e3under each of the inlet-valves e.

The cylinders c', dac., are each provided with pistons f in the usualmanner. To each of these pistons is pivotally connected one end of apitman g. Each of these pitmen is provided at its opposite end with abearing f@ and each of these bearings is formed to fit the crank-pin onone side, but is of a widthsomething less than one-third of thecircumference of the crank-pin,but constructed spiral in shape, so thatwhile in cross-section it is of a width somewhat less than onethird thecircumference of the crank-pin it is of such pitch as will in the lengthof the crank-pin carry it almost half-Way around the same. These spiralsectional bearings are preferably made of a length to equal the lengthof the crank-pin, and they are held in IOO place against the crank-pinby sectional collars f2, which surround these spiral sectional bearingsand permit them to move freely on the crank and between the collars andsaid Crank-pin.

The valves which I have shown are adapted to close with a spring, andmeans are provided for opening same as follows: Formed on or secured tothe bearings a3 are cams 7L. These cams 7l are each preferably formedwith a groove 72.', and there is arranged an operating-rod 7b2, having aspring 72.3, which tends to force the rod inwardly, and thus hold theend of the same within the groove 7i', the end being shaped to conformin cross-section with the groove, shown preferably V-shaped. Theopposite or outer ends of each of these rods is also preferably pointedor V-shaped, so as to contact with the end of the valvestem, theconstruction, however, being such that the inner or cam end of the rodis adapted to move laterally by reason of the shape of the cam-groove,hereinafter pointed out, the arrangement giving the lateral movement tothe cam-operating rod and providing, in eect, two grooves, one of whichruns over the cam and the other of which runs at the side of the cam. Atthis part of the periphery the grooves are parallel. At the opposite orlow side of the cam the grooves run at an angle so as to intersect, andthus, by reason of the end of the operating-rod conforming and beingspring-pressed in said groove, cause the same to cross over from onegroove to the other, and thus operate the valves only at every otherrevolution which the cylinders make about the crank-shaft and within theframe.

Then this construction is to be used as a gas-engine, an igniter 7c willbe placed in proximity to the ends of the cylinders, preferably withinthe chamber e. These igniters may be of the form shown in Fig. 10,consisting of a stationary electro 7c and ya moving electro 702. Motionmay be given to this electro 7a2 by supporting same on a rock-shaft 7c3,having an arm 7a4, connected by a rod 7t5, adapted to be operated by cam756 on the bearing a3, so as to operate the electros to form a spark atthe proper point in the revolution of the cylinder.

The rod 7b2, which operates the inlet-valves, is preferably formed intwo parts, as shown in Fig. 2, the outer part 7a4 being hinged to theinner part, as shown in 715, and provided with an arm h6, having aweight 71,7 and a spring h5. The hinge is so constructed that in anormal condition the spring 71,S keeps the parts in line. In the event,however, that the engine runs at too great a speed the weight 717 willbe thrown with great force against spring 7L8 and throw the parts out ofline, so that the ends h4 will not contact with the valvestem, and thusthe charge will not be admitted into this particular cylinder.

The cylinders are preferably connected by a web or flange c5, whichserves the purpose of ally-wheel, and, if desired, these may be replacedwith arms which will carry a considerable rim to serve the purpose of afly and band wheel combined.

The operation of the device is as follows: The cylinders being rotated,the charge of gas is drawn into cylinder c', the engine rotating in thedirection of the arrowin Fig. 2. The drawing in of the charge in c willbe continued until the said cylinder reaches a point diametricallyopposite. In the meantime the cylinder c2 will be brought to theposition occupied by c', and its inlet-valve will be open and its chargebegin to be drawn into c2. By the time the cylinder c3 has reached thepoint at which the charge is to be taken in the cylinder c will havereached the position occupied by cylinder c2 in Fig. 2 and the charge insaid cylinder c will have been partly compressed. When the cylinder chas made a complete revolution, the operating-rod which operated itsinlet-valve will have crossed into the groove which passes by the sideof the cam, and its valve will thus not be opened; but the igniter willbe operated, and at this point the charge will be fired. The othercylinders coming to this point in succession will each be fired insuccession. Cylinder c will therefore operate against the crank-pin, andthus furnish the force to rotate the cylinders. The pressure against thecrank will be continued until the cylinder reaches a diametricallyopposite position for the second time, when the exhaust-valve will beopened by the cam on the opposite side, and during the next half of therevolution this cylinder will be cleaned, the spent gases being forcedout by the piston until the cylinder reaches the point at which the newcharge is to be taken. It

lwill be understood that by this construction each cylinder is firedevery other revolution. There being three cylinders, there will be threecharges fired during two revolutions, each cylinder being successivelycleared, recharged, compressed, and fired as the engine continues torotate.

As the angle of each of the pitmen changes by the rotation of thecylinder about the crank the sectional pitmen-bearings will be movedaround the crank. By having the sectional bearings made spiral a greaterlength of bearing is secured around the crank-pin.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In an engine such asdescribed, a supporting-frame provided with bearings, a rotating casingin said frame formed with hollow trunnions journaled in said bearings, acrank-shaft in said casing, one end of said shaft being jonrnaled in oneside of said casing, and the other end of said shaft extended throughthe opposite side of said casing and its trunnion and securedstationarily to the supporting-frame,a plurality of cylinders connectedto said casing and provided with pistous connected by pitmen to saidcrankshaft, the hollow trunnion at the side of said IOO IIO

casing opposite said shaft being closed at the end adjacent to saidcasing and open at the other end,a connection from said hollow trunnionto the cylinders and means for supplying an explosive mixture to saidhollow trunnion, substantially as described.

2. The combination witha crank, of a plu'- rality of cylinders providedwith pistons connected by pitmen with said crank, each of said pistonsbeing provided with a section of a bearing formed spirally about saidcrank, and a clamping-collar for holding said sections in contact withsaid crank, substantially as speciied.

3. The combination with the main supportin g-frame having the stationarybearings,cen tral supporting-disks having hollow trunnions ittedinto-said bearings, a stationary crank located between said disks andadapted to project through one of said trunnions,

- means on said frame for holding said crank stationary, a plurality ofcylinders connected to said disk each having a piston and a pitmanconnected thereto, each of said pitmen having a spiral-shapedbearing-section to fit said crank, clamping-collars for holding said`sections in contact with said crank, valvechambers connected to saidcylinders, pipe connections from one of said hollow trun WILLIAM H.ALDRICH.

Witnesses:

OHAs. I. WELCH, CLIFTON P. GRANT.

